1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data processing systems, and more particularly relates to a data processing computer system for improving the way diagnostic predictions and subsequent corrective maintenance repairs are calculated and processed by workers involved in maintenance activities for systems that are mechanical, electrical, electronic, or fluid driven.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current computerized diagnostic systems are generally inefficient due to their lack of an integrated and multivisual approach in generating the diagnostic conclusion (i.e., the answer) to a problem, such as an electrical, or mechanical failure, and associated repair action. The answer or conclusion typically is a string of ASCII text displayed on a visual display, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) screen, a liquid crystal display (LCD), gas plasma display, or the like. In current diagnostic systems, there are no visual displayed drawings, photographs, or textual narratives describing actual removal, replacement or reinstallation procedures of the components which are diagnosed as having failed. The maintenance technician (MT), under the current system design, is forced to use volumes of written manuals, incurring delays while looking up topics in the index of the manuals, referencing illustrations and finding specific part numbers. The problem can be even more exacerbated due to problems in locating potentially misplaced, outdated, or lost written manuals, thus creating bottle necks in maintenance repair activities.
Prior to the development of automated diagnostic systems, the maintenance technician historically referred to one or two types of manuals or both in isolating and repairing a fault condition. The first is a fault isolation procedure manual. The manual defined the troubleshooting steps to determine which component of a system has failed. The second manual referred to is a fault isolation manual. This manual defined the action the maintenance technician would follow to effect changes in the equipment, for example, replacement of the failed component.
From the two-manual system evolved what is commonly referred to as "expert systems". An expert system is an automated "thinking" process which calculates and evaluates fault paths rapidly and provides guidance to the maintenance technician. The expert system uses a computer and a visual display screen. The computer program of the expert system, in effect, emulates the manual process described previously.